Peter's Blog

National Debt Quietly Blows Past $32 Trillion

The great anti-federalist Brutus wrote, “I can scarcely contemplate a greater calamity that could befall this country, than to be loaded with a debt exceeding their ability ever to discharge.” And here we are. With little fanfare, the national debt blew past $32 trillion last week.

In Another Potential Blow to Dollar Dominance, Kenyan President Urges Shift Away from Greenback in African Trade

Dollar doubts continue to grow, threatening the greenback’s perch at the top of the global financial system. Last week, Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto suggested that African nations should shift away from using the dollar in intercontinental trade.

Mainstream Perception vs. Economic Reality: SchiffGold Friday Gold Wrap Podcast June 16

There is the mainstream and market perception of what going on in the economy and financial system. And then there’s the underlying economic reality. In this episode of the Friday Gold Wrap podcast, host Mike Maharrey talks about the growing divergence between the two in the context of the June Federal Reserve meeting and the […]

Federal Budget: TTM Deficit Surges by an Incredible $980B YoY

The Federal Government ran a deficit last month of $240B. Revenue continues to be at or below levels last year while expenses continue to grow.

Government Job Numbers Make No Sense

Every month, we get government job reports that tell us the labor market is booming. Then we get an avalanche of mainstream headlines telling us that this is a sign the economy is just fine. But these government job numbers simply don’t make sense.

Have We Seen the Last Fed Rate Hike of This Cycle?

As was widely expected, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) put rate hikes on pause at the June meeting, although it indicated we should expect additional hikes before the end of the year. The question is how long will the pause last and will the next Fed move actually be a rate cut?

Energy Disguises a Pretty Bad Inflation Number

The CPI rose in May by 0.12%. Energy accounted for -0.25% of the move. This means without the move in Energy, the CPI would have risen by 0.37% which annualizes to a rate of 4.5%. This shows that inflation is still quite problematic.

The Inflation Tax Is Eating Your Lunch

How much is the inflation tax costing you? Based on calculations by public finance economist EJ Antoni, around $7,200 since January 2021 for the average family.

At Its Core Price Inflation Still Running Hot

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by the smallest annual amount in more than two years in May. This means the inflation fight is over and inflation lost, right? Not so fast.

Big May Shortfall Pushes 2023 Budget Deficit Well Over $1 Trillion

Congress “solved” the debt ceiling problem by effectively eliminating borrowing limits for the next two years. But it did nothing to address the underlying problem. And that underlying problem is painfully obvious when you look at the monthly budget deficits the federal government continues to run month after month. In May, the Biden administration piled […]